To the present time devices for towing motorcycles and the like behind a vehicle have been complex and/or expensive and/or inconvenient. Typically, it has been necessary to secure the motorcycle to a trailer specifically adapted to carry a motorcycle.
It has been proposed to tow a motorcycle behind a vehicle by securing a front wheel of a motorcycle to a tow bar so that the wheel is fixed relative to the vehicle. The steering head of the motorcycle is allowed to rotate so that the motorcycle tilts as the vehicle turns. This arrangement has the disadvantage during backing or a tight turn that the motorcycle may tip over if the steering head is allowed to rotate too far.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,308 issued on Sep. 8, 1992 to Vaughn, et al., discloses a motorcycle towing apparatus for use with a towing vehicle having a support bar which slidably engages a hitch receiver carried by the towing vehicle and having a ramp pivotally connected to the rear end of the support bar wherein the ramp is movable from a first position in which the ramp extends downwardly to the ground to a second position in which the ramp is elevated off the ground to provide clearance for towing, and also having a wheel cradle carried by the support bar to support the front wheel of the motorcycle. A single person can load and unload a motorcycle from the device. However, the tilt is not disconnectable and the motorcycle is not prevented from tilting and tipping over on sharp turns.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,813 issued on Jun. 12, 2001 to Cataldo discloses a motorcycle towing device including a platform member with a front end for attachment to the trailer hitch of a land vehicle. An upright member is perpendicularly affixed to the rear end of the platform member. An elevator is selectively raised and lowered upon the upright member by means of a jackscrew positioned atop the platform member. The elevator has a head tube and a pair of pivot bearings positioned at the top and bottom of the head tube. The head tube carries a pivot member. The pivot member has a carriage plate and a pair of pivot arms extending forwardly from the top and bottom thereof for pivotal engagement with the pivot bearings. A pair of wheel engagement arms, for supporting a motorcycle wheel, extend rearwardly from the carriage plate. However, this device has a rather complicated construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,197 issued on Apr. 15, 1997 to Howes discloses a towing apparatus for a two-wheeled or three-wheeled motorcycle, The apparatus has a support bar which slidably engages a hitch receiver connected to the towing vehicle and having a pivotally connected ramp which, when in a towing position, supports the front wheel. The towing apparatus includes two embodiments, one employing a hydraulic ram to raise the pivotable ramp and the other employing an eye bolt and nut to draw down an arm attached to the pivotable ramp. In either case, support straps are used to create a self-loading, one-person operable device which can be used for running and non-running two-wheeled or three-wheeled motorcycles. This device has the capability of being disassembled and, in such state, this relatively lightweight device is easily stored in its own carrying case. However, the device is made in the form of a kit that requires assembling and disassembling.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,075,012 issued on Dec. 13, 2011 to Perez, et al. discloses a towing device for towing a motorcycle comprising a base having a first end that slides horizontally into a receiver hitch of the vehicle; a platform extending outwardly from a second end of the base; an arc-shaped cradle for cradling a front wheel of the motorcycle. The cradle is divided into a front portion attached atop the platform and a ramp pivotally attached to the front portion of the cradle via a hinge. The ramp can pivot to an up position and a down position, wherein the down position allows the front wheel of the motorcycle to be rolled into the front portion of the cradle, the ramp can be secured in the up position via a securing means. The device also contains a side support component that extends upwardly from the platform and that has a support component for supporting the front wheel of the motorcycle when this wheel is in the cradle.
Thus, in spite of a great variety of motorcycle towing devices, a need still exists in a device of that kind that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy in use, and possesses a function of automatically locking the front wheel in place when it is installed into the front wheel support.